My 21st Century Breakdown
Do You Know Your Enemy
Adrienne Armstrong had been sitting at the window seat for just over an hour now, waiting.
Waiting for her husband to come home to give her the news that she hadn't really been waiting for but knew was coming.
It had been a long time coming but now, her gut feeling told her today was the day.
She saw his black BMW pull onto the drive with his familiar face behind the wheel. She knew what he'd do now, his usual routine of turning off the stereo, reaching across to the passenger seat for the phone that he always carried with him then he would always, always check himself in the mirror. She smiled at that.
The car door swang open and out he got with a serious look on his face. His serious face she'd always called it. He often looked serious even when he wasn't but then unexpectedly his face would light up with a fabulous grin. A grin that you could lose yourself in.
The car door slammed shut and she watched him as he juggled his keys, phone and leather jacket and he came towards the front door.
She wanted to run to him then, run and hold him, feel his arms wrap around her tight and warm like they usually did but something stopped her from doing that, something deep inside told her that she should just stay where she was.
She turned towards him as she sensed him standing in the doorway.
"Hey," she said, "you're earlier than I thought you'd be."
"Am I?" He said throwing his assortment of keys and phone onto the coffee table as he came towards her.
"Yeah," Adrienne replied. She couldn't eyes from him, she loved him to bits.
He came towards her, his face beaming but she stopped him in his tracks, knowing her face was sad and that the tone of her voice would alarm him.
"So, its over then." She said.
"Yeah, its done. Finally. Tre's added his last drum section today and...well, its fucking complete Adrienne, I can't believe it. We've done it." He was so pleased with himself she could tell but it didn't stop her wanting to hurt him just a little.
"And the tour is arranged?" She questioned, knowing what the answer would be.
"It is." Billie Joe responded then he couldn't help himself. "Look Adrienne, you knew it was going to happen sooner or later and its taken pretty much fucking ages to get this thing together. What's the problem?" He said coming to her and sitting alongside her on the window seat. He could tell she was tense but he also knew that it was her own doing.
"Nothing, its just, its been great having you here." She said turning to him with her huge brown eyes, clear and bright but with a little sadness to them.
"Its been great being here," he said putting his hand to her cheek, "but you knew this was going to happen at sometime, we haven't retired you know, we're putting out this album, the album that everyone's been waiting for and, to be quite honest with you Adrienne I can't wait. I can't wait to get out on the road again and let everyone hear it. Please, be happy for us, you'll be with us too you know a lot of the time, the kids are older this time round."
"I know but...will she be there?" She said looking at him wanting him to be honest with her.
Billie nodded knowing that it would hurt her and it did. He felt sad for her as she turned her face away from him to look out the window.
Waiting for her husband to come home to give her the news that she hadn't really been waiting for but knew was coming.
It had been a long time coming but now, her gut feeling told her today was the day.
She saw his black BMW pull onto the drive with his familiar face behind the wheel. She knew what he'd do now, his usual routine of turning off the stereo, reaching across to the passenger seat for the phone that he always carried with him then he would always, always check himself in the mirror. She smiled at that.
The car door swang open and out he got with a serious look on his face. His serious face she'd always called it. He often looked serious even when he wasn't but then unexpectedly his face would light up with a fabulous grin. A grin that you could lose yourself in.
The car door slammed shut and she watched him as he juggled his keys, phone and leather jacket and he came towards the front door.
She wanted to run to him then, run and hold him, feel his arms wrap around her tight and warm like they usually did but something stopped her from doing that, something deep inside told her that she should just stay where she was.
She turned towards him as she sensed him standing in the doorway.
"Hey," she said, "you're earlier than I thought you'd be."
"Am I?" He said throwing his assortment of keys and phone onto the coffee table as he came towards her.
"Yeah," Adrienne replied. She couldn't eyes from him, she loved him to bits.
He came towards her, his face beaming but she stopped him in his tracks, knowing her face was sad and that the tone of her voice would alarm him.
"So, its over then." She said.
"Yeah, its done. Finally. Tre's added his last drum section today and...well, its fucking complete Adrienne, I can't believe it. We've done it." He was so pleased with himself she could tell but it didn't stop her wanting to hurt him just a little.
"And the tour is arranged?" She questioned, knowing what the answer would be.
"It is." Billie Joe responded then he couldn't help himself. "Look Adrienne, you knew it was going to happen sooner or later and its taken pretty much fucking ages to get this thing together. What's the problem?" He said coming to her and sitting alongside her on the window seat. He could tell she was tense but he also knew that it was her own doing.
"Nothing, its just, its been great having you here." She said turning to him with her huge brown eyes, clear and bright but with a little sadness to them.
"Its been great being here," he said putting his hand to her cheek, "but you knew this was going to happen at sometime, we haven't retired you know, we're putting out this album, the album that everyone's been waiting for and, to be quite honest with you Adrienne I can't wait. I can't wait to get out on the road again and let everyone hear it. Please, be happy for us, you'll be with us too you know a lot of the time, the kids are older this time round."
"I know but...will she be there?" She said looking at him wanting him to be honest with her.
Billie nodded knowing that it would hurt her and it did. He felt sad for her as she turned her face away from him to look out the window.